I'm upset with B&N at the moment. I just discovered that, if I buy a book, even a free one, from the B&N ebook site, I can't transfer that book to my computer. I prefer to organize my books using Calibre. I can't do that unless I bought the book elsewhere, like Books on Board. I wrote to B&N about this and their answer claimed that it was the way DRM is handled, as if it isn't their fault. Sony is notorious for going overboard with digital rights and my Sony reader didn't have this problem. If I bought as paper and ink book from B&N, I could give that to a friend when I'm finished reading it, he could pass it on, and again until the book literally wore out. As far as I know, I can't do that with any ebook, regardless of the source. Hopefully, that day is coming.

It appears to me that, with B&N hiding the folder that stores purchases made from them, they are doing what Amazon has done with their proprietary Kindle format. Although, that is slowly disappearing. My response to B&N was that all my future ebook purchases will be made from another ebook vendor until B&N fixes their proprietary mindset and allows buyers of their ebooks to use whatever application they choose to manage their library.

Most of the big publishers require DRM on their ebooks. B&N is correct, in that, there's not really much they can do about it. You can either decide not to buy any DRM'd books, or buy what you want, remove the DRM, and then organize them with Calibre as you like.

Amazon, B&N, and Sony are all basically the same in that regard, Apple as well, most of what they sell will have DRM attached.

I'm not sure I understand this question. I go to my library on the B&N.com website and download the books there. Save them to my computer...liberate them from their DRM if I so desire...and use Calibre to organize my eBooks. I haven't downloaded a book in a couple of weeks, but I know I've done it fairly recently...

It sounds like you got bad info from B&N, although no help desk is going to tell you how to strip DRM.

As others have said, on B&N's web site go to My Nook -> My Library and click on the download button next to an ebook. B&N uses a different DRM scheme from most other ePub sellers, but it is just as circumventable. As usual, see Apprentice Alf for DRM issues.

I'm not sure I understand this question. I go to my library on the B&N.com website and download the books there. Save them to my computer...liberate them from their DRM if I so desire...and use Calibre to organize my eBooks. I haven't downloaded a book in a couple of weeks, but I know I've done it fairly recently...

I've done so tonight. Nothing has changed. The OP isn't clear on what he's trying to do. He says "organize my books," which is easy to do in Calibre, with or without stripping DRM. Reading them without stripping DRM requires the Nook program (which can download directly, I guess, but I don't use it so I'm not sure). For those willing to strip DRM, you get a standard epub that Calibre can convert to nearly any imaginable format.

Most of the big publishers require DRM on their ebooks. B&N is correct, in that, there's not really much they can do about it. You can either decide not to buy any DRM'd books, or buy what you want, remove the DRM, and then organize them with Calibre as you like.

Amazon, B&N, and Sony are all basically the same in that regard, Apple as well, most of what they sell will have DRM attached.

My recommendation is like what others have already said, apprentice alf for the tools to remove the DRM. Personally I mostly deal with BAEN books which does not add any drm to any of there products, however that is not why I buy from them, I like the products and the prices are great.

I'm not sure you guys understood my concerns. My bad! As I said, I have a Sony PRS-600 reader and have been using it with Calibre with no problems. What I really like about using Calibre is that, when the Sony is plugged into my notebook PC, I can see all the books that I own in the Calibre library. There is also a list of the books that are on the Sony. There are check marks beside the library books that are also on the Sony and there are check marks beside the books on the Sony that are also in the library. I find that very useful. So far, I haven't figured out how to do that with the Nook. I'd rather not get into stripping the DRM in order to do that. I didn't do that with the Sony.

Since the Sony doesn't have wi-fi, I bought my books from the Sony book store, books on board, or borrowed them from the public library. I then transferred them to the Sony using Calibre. If I choose to operate that same way with B&N, will it operate the same as i'm accustomed to? If so, problem is solved and B&N support should have explained that? I am just frustrated that I can't even tell which books I already own without looking for them on the Nook. Remember that my books come from different sources. So looking in the B&N library doesn't show all my books in one place. I'm not interested in using the "Cloud" or the Nook "archive." I want all my files totally within my control.

Books you buy from B&N and download through the device are stored on a hidden partition that isn't accessible to Calibre. It is unfortunate, and there's no way to change it (though you can "root" the device and run a standard version of Android, and have complete control, but I don't think that will let you buy from B&N the same way as the stock device). You could turn off the WiFi on the nook, and treat it just like your Sony, which is to say, buy through B&N's web site, download it, import it to Calibre, and transfer it to the nook, but again, that loses the convenience of shopping directly from the device.

So far, I haven't figured out how to do that with the Nook. I'd rather not get into stripping the DRM in order to do that. I didn't do that with the Sony.

If you try to add a DRMed book to Calibre, it will refuse to do it. So, if you want to use Calibre to control your ebooks, you have no choice but to install the DRM-removal plugins. Otherwise, Calibre just will refuse to add the books. I do not know what it was about your Sony books that allowed Calibre to use them, but apparently they did not have DRM.

Removing DRM to allow yourself to use Calibre for your purchased books and/or to back them up is a perfectly valid use of DRM-removal, IMHO. Piracy is NOT a valid use, IMHO.

You hit the nail on the head and exactly described the functionality that I've been complaining about. Since I want to operate through Calibre, wi-fi buys me nothing. I will turn it off and buy my books the same way that I did when I was using my Sony. Given that attitude on my part, what is the advantage of buying my books from B&N? I already have accounts with Sony and BoB. It appears that every ebook vendor charges exactly the same price for the same book. I know why that is the case, but I don't agree with it. Bookstores can discount their paper books if they so choose, but not the ebooks. That doesn't make sense to me even though I know (or think I know) why that is the case. I shouldn't discuss that here since it is off topic.

Thanks everyone for your help. I have installed the DRM stripping tools as plug-ins for Calibre, but doubt that I will ever use them.

If you try to add a DRMed book to Calibre, it will refuse to do it. So, if you want to use Calibre to control your ebooks, you have no choice but to install the DRM-removal plugins. Otherwise, Calibre just will refuse to add the books.

This is completely untrue. You can add DRM-protected books to Calibre, store them, and send them to your reader. The only thing that you can't do if a book has DRM is convert it to another format, or edit it in any way.

Books you buy from B&N and download through the device are stored on a hidden partition that isn't accessible to Calibre. It is unfortunate, and there's no way to change it (though you can "root" the device and run a standard version of Android, and have complete control, but I don't think that will let you buy from B&N the same way as the stock device). You could turn off the WiFi on the nook, and treat it just like your Sony, which is to say, buy through B&N's web site, download it, import it to Calibre, and transfer it to the nook, but again, that loses the convenience of shopping directly from the device.

That alone is the number one reason to root the simple touches. I will not have any device that I can't access the drives on.